On Sunday January 10th, many of you took part in our discussion on the subject of “The Baptism of Jesus” as part of our Adult Catechesis program, led by Ms. Veronika Hübner. Thanks to all who attended and so actively participated. If you missed it, or if you were there and would like to look a little deeper into the subject, Ms. Hübner invites you to view or download her book “Tetelestai – It has been finished” which is available at this link [pdf file].

“The Baptism of Jesus” is the subject of the first meditation of the book. Enjoy!

Deacon Gregory John Felling, 58, passed away January 3rd, 2010, after a courageous 3 month battle with pancreatitis.

He was the beloved husband of Elisabeth Felling for 33 years and father of four children: Julia, Katharina, Christian and Johannes Felling.

Greg will also be remembered by his five brothers Dennis, Bill, Joe, Paul and John Felling forever.

Friends and family are invited to attend the funeral on Friday, January 22nd, 2010, at 13.30 at St. Hemmas Funeral Home, 1130 Wien, Wattmanngasse 105.

There will also be a memorial service for Greg on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010, at 15.00 at Votivkirche, 1090 Wien, Rooseveltplatz 8.

This Sunday, January 10, 2010, there will be catechesis for ALL CLASSES from First Holy Communion through Confirmation from at 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. There will simultaneously be Adult Catechesis.

All VESSC adults are invited and encouraged to attend. (Teens not already attending catechesis, including but not limited to our already confirmed gang, are also welcome).

We will have a special guest speaker, Ms. Veronika Hübner, to teach us about ‘The Baptism of Jesus’. Ms. Hübner is a educated theologian, professional educator, and long time member of the VESCC. She authored a book on this subject, and would like to share her gift and her knowledge with us on the very day that we are celebrating the Baptism of of the Lord.

Please join us from 8:45 a.m. to 09:45 a.m. at the Coffee Room, Mexikoplatz 12.

C’mon, it’s only one hour earlier than mass, and it’s warm. We hope to see you there!

“Show us Christ” was the theme of Pope Benedict’s visit to Austria in September 2007. When we pray the Rosary we ask our Blessed Mother to do just that, to give us a deeper insight into the mysteries of Christ, and to open for us a greater participation in these mysteries.

Our Vienna English-Speaking Catholic Community has a tradition of devotion to Our Blessed Lady. We try to support and encourage one another in our appreciation and understanding of the Rosary as a special way of prayer. Especially since the Pope’s visit, and in the Jubilee Year of Our Lady of Lourdes, we thought it would be helpful if someone in the Community could produce some sort of booklet – both practical and inspirational – to help those who wish to learn to pray the rosary more intensely. Our Lady herself asked Saint Bernadette to pray the Rosary and has asked us all to do so in her many apparitions throughout the world. All the recent Popes have written and spoken about this very special devotion and encouraged us to pray it as individuals, families and communities.

» Continue reading “How to Pray the Rosary”

The following masses are scheduled over the Advent Holidays:

20 December (4th Sunday of Advent):
10:00 a.m., Holy Mass (St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mexikoplatz)
12:00 noon, Adoration together with the German-speaking community (St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mexikoplatz)

24 December (Christmas Eve):
12:30 p.m. , Mass at Christ Hope (Vienna International Centre)
19:00 p.m., Christmas Eve Mass (St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mexikoplatz)
20:00 p.m., Wine and Cheese (St. Francis of Assisi Church hall, Mexikoplatz)

25 December (Christmas Day)
10:00 a.m., Christmas Day Mass (St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mexikoplatz)
11:00 a.m., Wine and Cheese (St. Francis of Assisi Church hall, Mexikoplatz)

27 December (The Holy Family)
10:00 a.m., Holy Family Mass (St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mexikoplatz)

31 December (New Year’s Eve)
12:30 p.m. , Mass at Christ Hope (Vienna International Centre)

During the Advent season, Holy Mass in English is celebrated on weekdays at the Donaucity Church, next to the Vienna International Centre (U1 to VIC/Kaisermuehlen stop). The small “black” church is just next to the U-bahn station.

Time: 08:45-09:45 (promptly)
Location: Coffee Hall, Mexikoplatz 12

All are welcome.

Guest Speaker: Father Albert Steinvorth, Member of the Prelature of Opus Dei

Summary: Saint Josemaria told students: “God awaits you in your studies”, and to the husbands and wives, he said: “Your path to Heaven bears the name of your husband or your wife.” This is the universal call to holiness its essence: everyone — no one excluded — in living the great and small challenges of every day with love for God, can reach that fullness of communion with the Lord, which is Holiness

Biography: Father Albert Steinvorth was born in Costa Rica. He has studied industrial engineering in Berlin and worked in Costa Rica and Guatemala. He studied theology in Guatemala, Rome, and Spain and was ordained in Rome by Pope John Paul II. Father Albert has done pastoral work in Germany, in the Holy Land, and in Austria. At present he is a University Chaplain in Vienna and performs pastoral activities in St. Peters Church in Vienna.

The VESCC Council and Father Kevin have decided that Sunday Mass will be permanently celebrated at 10:00 a.m. So catechesis classes will always be at 08:45 from now on.

On Oct. 4th there will also be adult catechesis at the same time as the childrens’ classes. Father Kevin will host this event and kindly requests that all the parents attend. This adult catechesis will take place at 08:45 in the coffee hall.

Religious education class will start promptly at 08:45 a.m.

Registration for the VESCC Religious Education Program for 2009-2010 is now going on. We encourage parents wanting to enroll their children for religious education in English, especially in preparation for receiving First Holy Communion or Confirmation to register them as soon as possible. If you are new to the VESCC and intend to register your children for the program, please introduce yourselves to Fr. Kevin after Sunday Mass. You can also contact, Scott, the Religious Education Coordinator at vesccreliged@gmail.com.

Schedule for 2009-2010:

Religious education will be held during the following Sundays from 08:45-09:45 (starts promptly)::

• September: 13 and 20
• October: 4 and 18
• November: 8 and 22
• December 6 and 13
• January 10 and 24
• February 7 and 28
• March: 14 and 21
• April: 18 and 25; and
• May 9 (class and First Holy Communion)

Tentative schedule for Confirmation is 30 May 2010.

The VESCC’s Sunday Liturgy will continue to be held at 10:00 a.m. for the month of September until the results of a community-wide survey on the preferred time for Sunday mass is completed. As usual we encourage everyone to be on time so we can finish the mass in the alloted one-hour period, and to make time for the 11:00 o’clock German mass.

On 9-10 May, the VESCC confirmation class conducted its Retreat Weekend in the village of Winden in the Burgenland and in the Prater. It was an opportunity to escape the routine of life in Vienna and reflect on the sacrament of Confirmation which they will receive later this month. The weekend included time for the confirmation candidates to bond as a group, reflect on their relationship with God, and also to relax (as is evident in some of the photos). On the second day of the retreat we conducted our Service Project by inviting some teenagers from a nearby refugee camp to spend the day with us in the Prater, where we took them bowling, had a picnic and played in the park.

We invite the entire community to celebrate our Confirmation with us at Mass on Sunday 31 May at the St. Francis of Assisi Church on Mexico Platz.